Theory of Evolution

Yelapa is situated in the jungle; not adjacent to, not nearby, and certainly not just a short distance away but in the jungle. The ocean which occupies our little bay merely adds a dimension not typically present. Those of us who came of age during the original Tarzan series recall warrior pygmies, rivers teaming with alligators and the ever popular pet chimpanzee, Cheetah. Our jungle in Yelapa includes none of these implants. What it does contain is an ever changing variety of migratory birds displaying gorgeous plumage; an endless raft of flying-crawling-climbing insects whose body structures frequently replicate miniature dinosaurs; an anthology full of dragonflies, moths and butterflies speckled with vibrant colors and designs previously unimagined. And amidst all this marvel and wonder, reside a pair of bushy- tailed squirrels.  They seem out of place but appear to be much at home. Alas, the jungle is a wondrous place.      

Living in the midst of this evolutionary vibrancy, I frequently wax philosophical. During one such “waxing,” I stumbled upon a thought which demanded further consideration. If man/woman, who now revels in his/her ability to control the entirety of the environment was meant to occupy this pinnacle of absolute dominion, then why wasn’t he/she the first to occupy the planet? Then all subsequent new comers could have been assigned their places early on. It would have made the entire process ever so much more efficient, right? But that’s not what happened. We were the last to join the group, why? Not unexpectedly, I have a theory.

What if at the end of the week, millennium or whenever, all the animals got together and decided that all-in-all life was pretty good but that they would really enjoy some periodic comic relief. A multi-specieal commission was formed; the concept of “man” immerged. Think about it, most of what occupies man’s time are inept attempts to imitate other animals’ behaviors. Allow me to illustrate with just a few examples:

Shelter-Animals create protective structures out of nearby materials. Man shaves off the top of a hill, hauls in timber from a thousand miles away, utilizes multi-ton machinery to construct a two story, 2500 square foot home for a family of three.

   

Employment-Animals collectively engage in work which satisfies the needs of the entire community. Man’s work has absolutely no bearing on the overall needs of the community but is designed to satiate his desire to place more “stuff” into the shelter mentioned above.

Recreation-Animals infuse play and frivolity into most of what they do whether it’s creating family housing or trying to tidy up the common area. Man remains consumed by the obsession with “stuff” and therefore has no time to play. What few exceptions exist relate to Monday’s which are designated holidays by powerful lobbyists representing the greeting card and chocolate industries.

Life-Animals realize that birth and death are cycles which they experience daily. Man supports multi-billion dollar industries crafted around both of these common activities.

Alas, we are an entertaining lot aren’t we? Does anyone else hear that hyena off in the distance?

New Link Added
I have added a new link at the bottom of the blog page. It relates to Pam Thompson's blog HealthCare Resources. Pam's blog is a wealth of information about local health care. Check this out, it could literally save your life.

Commercial Break

Summer rates remain in effect. Please be advised that I will be closed next Saturday, which is Yelapa’s observance of Mariner’s Day. Despite the celebration’s name, most activities will be land- based. There’s a reason for that. Happy paddling-memo